CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Women empowerment is a very significant and sensitive issue that should not be under estimated in our global world today. There are key roles that are meant for women to play in order to effect a positive change in our world.

Empowering women can make or mare a nation. Therefore when we talk about women empowerment, we need to emphasise that it is a positive one such that effect good happenings. The researcher will like to briefly mention some powerful women; women in power; that is women that are naturally empowered by God and also by nature. These are powerful women like queen Amina of Zaria, queen Elizabeth of England, Ruh and queen Esther in the Bible, to mention but a few.

In the business world and activities, women need to be strongly empowered because the world is changing on daily basis. Research has brought to our knowledge that many African countries have gone far in empowering their women in small scale business. Even the American Countries are not left behind. In other words, Nigeria has a great need to wake up to the task. A Philosopher once said, “If you train or educate a man,

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you have only succeeded to make an individual; but if you train or educate a woman, you have built a nation”. Any country that fails to empower its women in business will remain backward. Nature has given women power to influence and if women are permitted to utilize this natural endowed gift, our economy will change and improve for good.

In the world today, as we have the Technology Incubation Centre here in Nigeria to support and assist women that have little or no resource to start up a small scale business; so also does the African countries have an organization called “The Root Capital” it performs exactly the way our Technology Incubation Centre does. All their goal is to help a small starter in business grow well and survive. It was founded in 2004.

Women Empowerment Root Capital are in different regions such as: Mexico and Caribbean, Central America, South America, East Africa, and West Africa. And in places like this, women produce coffee, fruits and vegetables for business in small scale.

The Root Capital perform many roles such as: sustaining the environment with all kinds of small scale businesses in order to improve their economy; empowering women; promoting food security; making peace and recovery. Women need to be strongly empowered because women play

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an important role in food production worldwide; they have limited access to the resources necessary to effectively operate their farming operations.

Root Capital supports small and growing businesses that strengthen the social and economic position of small scale farmers. Increasing women participation in the rural economy is a powerful tool for poverty reduction and economic growth because female farmer tend to spend more money on nutritious food. Health-care, education and housing when their incomes increase. Beyond this material household benefits, businesses often use their social premiums to invest in areas of particular interests to women. Improving women’s economic opportunities also provides a sense of hope and purpose, increasing the status of women within their communities.

Sumaki life is a client to Root Capital since 2010. It is a cooperative that grows and processes organic quinoa for business they are offered technical assistance and more than 60 percent of them are women. Population Performance Bureau (PPB) (2011) in Rural Mali, small businesses are keys to Women Empowerment and Economic Development.

Women are involved in income generating activities, particularly small scale –home-based businesses.

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Technology Incubation Centre is generally a governmental establishment that plays the role of supporting small scale businesses to start-up well and grow to a successful large business in later life.

It is a federal government establishment that has grown vast and wide. The branches are increasing and it is concerned about the success of private business owners in Nigeria. While it is also or at the same time business oriented because through its operations and services, it generates revenue (income) into the government purse. There is no doubt to the fact that Technology Incubation Centre is a profitable establishment to the benefit of government itself and private business starters.

Regarding the topic in question “Women empowerment in Kebbi State. The effect of Technology Incubation Centre”. The research work is based on how women are being empowered to start up small scale business. We look into the activities of the women as regards small scale business, as we all know in Nigeria generally that there are many businesses run by women in a small scale. Meanwhile, to even start-up the small business is not always easy for most women due to financial factor.

There are women that are presently operating in the Technology Incubation Centre. The mission of their operation at the incubation is for them to be empowered both financially and business-wise. Women

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empowerment in small scale business goes a long way to reduce poverty, liabilities and also to improve our economy in the society and in Nigeria as a whole.

As it is common in the Northern part of Nigeria, most of the men do not allow their wives to work at all, either with the government or with private organization due to their ethics and tradition; for such women, it will be nice and helpful to our nation if they are engaged in small scale businesses. This will help them to be reliable and worthy in the society.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In most cases today, most women in Nigerian are highly interested in going into business but are not able to start one due to financial problem.

Many women have good ideas of business but they lack the wherewithal to embark on it. Not only that, most women have good gifts, good craft and handwork at hand and of which can be of good benefit to the society and the world at large but they lack sponsorship.

Furthermore, the most heart-breaking are the poor widows whose husbands left with nothing and there are children to be catered for; such women without any doubt are in pressing need of financial assistance to start up something.

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If all these problems above can be catered for, definitely poverty will be highly reduced if not totally eradicated; and that will also go along way to cut the rate of prostitution in our society.

1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The broad objectives of this research is to assess the effect of Incubation Technology program on the empowerment of women in Kebbi state, while the specific objectives are:

a.       To examine the effect of Technology Incubation Centre on women empowerment.

b.       To identify how women in business can be empowered.

c.       To identify the socio-economic effect of women empowerment.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

i.            What effect does Technology Incubation Centre has on women empowerment?

ii.            In what ways can women be empowered?

iii.            What are the socio-economic effect of women empowerment?

1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Generally, the issue of women in small scale business is all the same all over the world. The issue applicable to one environment is applicable to another in view of this, the researcher has decided to limit the scope of this

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work to Kebbi state and the case study is Technology Incubation Centre, Birnin-Kebbi branch in Kebbi State in order to save time and cost of research; so long as what is happening at the other end there is also the same thing happening in this end. Therefore, the Technology Incubation Centre is the sample of the research work to examine how women are being empowered to start-up a small scale business.

Due to lack of sufficient time frame to carryout the research work the researcher had to limit the scope of the research to the Technology Incubation Centre Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State. Also the researcher faces some financial problem that could not enable traveling to father places to research further. The two key issues that brought about limitation on this research work are:

-         Lack of sufficient time. And

-         Lack of sufficient finance for the researcher to enlarge the scope

1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS

i.                   Business: Could be defined as an occupation or trade. It is a profitseeking enterprise. It is an affair or a matter that has to do with patronage. It is a person’s regular occupation, profession, or trade.

It is an activities that someone engages in and it fetches increase

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(profit) as a return of the activity. It is buying and reselling for profit; and rendering of services to be paid for (Dictionary.com).

ii.                 Empowerment: Is defined as authorization. It is an act ofconferring legally or sanction or formal warrant. To invest legal power or official authority. Also it is to equip or supply with an ability. To strengthen someone. In relation to this topic, it is to make women have firm and legal stand financially in the society. (English Oxford Dictionary).

iii.              Small Scale Business: Any business that is not operated with ahuge amount of money from N500,000 to millions of naira is a small business. It is usually a petty business, craft work,, one man business operation-in-house or at the door post. (Website Wikipedia)

iv.               Technology: Could be defined as the application of scientificknowledge for practical purposes, especially in industries. It is also machinery and equipment developed from such scientific knowledge. It is the study of the applied sciences, engineering, etc.

v.                 Incubation: The process of incubating eggs, cells, bacteria, adisease, etcetera. (Science Dictionary, 2003). The period of infection and the appearance of sign of a disease. Meaning to the

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